Festive Maple Salad
This Festive Maple Salad combines roasted squash, chickpeas, candied pecans, and a zesty maple vinaigrette for the perfect holiday side dish bursting with color and flavor.
Servings
Ingredients
Salad
- 2.5 cups butternut squash diced
- ½ head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 cups chickpeas cooked
- 4 cups mixed leaf salad
- ½ large avocado diced
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup fresh mint finely chopped
Spices
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- sea salt flakes to taste
Candied Maple Pecans
- ½ cup pecan halves
- 2.5 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Vinaigrette
- ½ shallot finely diced, more to taste
- 1.5 tsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the vegetables: In a large baking tray, lined with baking paper, add the butternut squash, cauliflower florets, sweet paprika, cumin, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Mix well to coat all the pieces of vegetables. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Prepare the chickpeas: Add the chickpeas to a baking tray, along with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Mix to combine and bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes, until crispy.
- Prepare the Candied Pecans: In a bowl, mix the pecans, maple syrup, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Prepare a small oven-safe tray or dish and line it with baking paper (see notes). Spread the pecans evenly and bake on the lower rack of the oven for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely, it will harden as it cools, then break apart.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: whisk the shallot, whole-grain mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar.
- Assemble: In a large serving bowl, add the mixed leaf salad, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, avocado, pomegranate, mint, and candied pecans, and drizzle with the dressing. Mix well and serve right away for the best texture.
Video
Notes
Candied maple pecans: make sure your tray or dish is fully covered with baking paper. Once the mixture hardens, it can stick and become difficult to remove, and cleaning will be much harder otherwise.
Fan vs no-fan oven: Fan ovens cook food more evenly and often more quickly because the fan circulates hot air around the oven. If a recipe lists a fan setting but your oven doesn’t have one, increase the temperature by 10–20 °C (about 25–35 °F).
For example:
- 160 °C fan → 170–180 °C conventional
- 350 °F fan → 375–385 °F conventional
Check for doneness near the end of the baking time, add a few extra minutes if needed, and rotate your tray halfway through to ensure more even baking. Baking time: All ovens are slightly different, so check and adjust baking time as needed for the chickpeas to look crispy.
For example:
- 160 °C fan → 170–180 °C conventional
- 350 °F fan → 375–385 °F conventional
Check for doneness near the end of the baking time, add a few extra minutes if needed, and rotate your tray halfway through to ensure more even baking. Baking time: All ovens are slightly different, so check and adjust baking time as needed for the chickpeas to look crispy.
Nutritional Information - Per Serving
Calories 310kcal | Carbohydrates 37g | Protein 8g | Fat 16g | Sodium 154mg | Fiber 10g | Vitamin A 420IU | Vitamin C 41mg | Calcium 110mg | Iron 4mg